Selina Scott payout reignites row over TV age discrimination

Selina Scott's six-figure payout from Channel Five following claims of ageism reignites debate about one of television's last taboos.

By John Bingham

7:14PM GMT 05 Dec 2008

Some of the best known faces on the small screen claim to have suffered discrimination:

:: Moira Stuart, Britain's first black female newsreader, resigned from the BBC in October amid suspicion that she had become a victim of ageism after losing her Sunday AM slot.

She did not give her reasons publicly but her departure sparked a chorus of complaints from MPs and some of the BBC's biggest names such as Jeremy Paxman and John Humphrys, who demanded that she be reinstated.

Although widely reported to be 55, the newsreader has withheld her date of birth from her Who's Who entry, leaving her exact age a matter of some debate.

:: Nick Ross, the veteran presenter of Crimewatch, was dropped from the programme in April after 23 years.

Related Articles

Coming just a few months before his 60th birthday, the corporation faced accusations of ageism when it said that it was time for the format to be "refreshed".

Speaking as his departure was announced, Ross said that television was "very much a young person's medium". He was replaced by Kirsty Young, who is almost 20 years younger.

:: Nicky Hambleton-Jones, was recently replaced as presenter of Channel 4's makeover programme 10 Years Younger at the age of 37 by the singer Myleene Klass.

After years telling people how to look more youthful she was genuinely surprised when she was replaced by a woman seven years her junior.

She told the magazine Grazia shortly afterwards: "It does seem to me like a classic case of replacing any woman over 35, regardless of how suitable she is for the role, with a younger face."

:: Anna Ford, the BBC newsreader, stepped down from the corporation two years ago at the age of 62 speaking openly about what she perceived as ageism in the media. She was replaced by Sophie Raworth, who is 21 years her junior.

Claiming that many of those being brought in to read bulletins were being employed "specifically" because of their age, she said that she decided to go before she was forced.

"I might have been shovelled off into News 24 to the sort of graveyard shift, and I wouldn't have wanted to do that because it wouldn't have interested me," she said.

:: Peter Sissons, another BBC newsreader, stepped down from the BBC One's main Ten O'Clock News programme six years ago, although he continues to present rolling news at weekends.

The former Question Time presenter said that the corporation had a "blind spot" when it comes to age.

He said: "I've been to too many leaving parties for people who've turned 50 and they're at the height of their powers and they're out.

"Some really gifted people who've cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to bring to that state of being so good. I think that's very sad."

Huw Edwards, who replaced Sissons on the programme, is 19 years his junior.